Air Post Stamped Envelopes - Help Me Get Started

Hi Gang:

I have never collected covers of any kind, but I really enjoy the U.S. Airmail stamps, and after looking over the UC section of my Scott Specialized, I think I'd like to start a collection. I thought about corners, but decided entire covers would be more interesting.

I like the UCs because they're a finite set. A few have extreme catalog values, but if I don't get too bogged down in the border types, I should be able to eventually get 85-90% of them without mortgaging the house.

I have several 'absolute beginner' questions, but I'll start with these...

1. What size album should I get? I'm thinking it would be nice to find pages to fit in a standard 3-ring binder.

2. Are there any obvious rookie mistakes I should be aware of?

Thanks for any advice or suggestions,
Kirk

Kirk.... Try to contact David Giles....Thats his area

Thanks Bobgggg. If he doesn't reply in a day or two, I'll email him

Hopefully some of our other cover people will weigh in. --KS

[edit: fix typo in smiley]

You could go with an actual cover album,Supersafe has some archival non PVC 2 & 4 pocket pages and binders. Plus the pages will fit in a 3 ring binder. If you want to design your own pages you can use corner mounts. They come in various sizes.

From the beginning, Kirk... a few questions before I give you some info...

1. Are you collecting U.S. Air Mail postal stationery?
2. Mint or used?
3. All of them? (Just envelopes or postal cards, wrappers, etc?)

Answer these then I'll tell you what you need to know.

David

Hi David:

As of yet, I don't have a single cover in the house, so I'm a blank slate But to answer your questions, in order,

1. U.S. Air Mail Postal Stationery? Yes. That's my plan, based solely on reading the "UC" section of Scott Catalogue.

2. Mint or used? Your hardest question because I don't know yet. Perhaps a combination of both depending on price, condition, availability, etc. Also, I notice that sometimes the mint, used, and FDCs all have about the same catalog value.

3. All of them? Right now, I'm thinking just envelopes. I want to start simple.

Thanks for coming to the rescue. I'll try not to make you regret answering my questions

Kirk

Okay.. from the start...

If you're going to collect U.S. postal stationery, mint is usally easier to come by. Used is more difficult. IT MUST BE USED IN PERIOD!! In other words, it must be used for the rate AND destination it was meant for.

For example, my 28-cent air postal card from 1982, used to pay the current (2010) U.S. domestic post card rate, it NOT getting the "used" value in Scott. It's pretty much worthless. If it was sent to Germany in 1982, then it is worth the "used" value in Scott. It pays the (then) 28-cent International post card rate, going to an international destination.

Forget cut squares... collect the entire envelope and do not buy cut squares. There was a time that folks collected cut squares, but few do. Only the Americans were collecting cut squares in great numbers.

Lastly, forget FDCs post-1950. There are a tonne of them and there is not much demand for them.

I hope this answers your questions... feel free to ask more.

David

I hope you don't regret that

Thanks for the answers so far -- I understand about "used in period." The word mint appeals to me on many levels, so I will start there; but who knows, I may eventually add used as well.

Tell me a little about albums. I did a little browsing today and unless you tell me a reason not to, I'll probably get Vario pages and put them in standard 3-ring binder. Do I need to be concerned about different sizes -- #6 envelope vs. #10?

Lastly, can you recommend any good places to start looking for the covers themselves.

Kirk

Hi kirk, I find by experience the best Philippine airmail covers I get are from dealers who source their covers from outside the country. a stamp dealer with connections outside USA should most likely have those great airmail USA covers

Good insight, nic.

I went to ebay, because typically they have 10,000 of anything you want, and saw very few airmail covers. Maybe these will be harder to find than I expected. Of course, that's part of the fun.

Kirk

Vario pages are great... I use them and I write-up covers on album leaves.

Air mail covers....? E-bay, here, you have to look, but they are out there.

David

Thanks for all your guidance, David.

I'm going to get started right away by ordering a binder and some pages. And I'll start scouring the auction sites.

Kirk

Hi Kirk, whenever I attend an auction on coins and stamps, I see some old post-wwII USA airmail covers addressed to a recipient here, never paid them much attention, as I dont collect them, will email you ever I snag some

Kirk:

I've a few Texas First Flight Covers(FFC) that are soares from my Texas Air Postal History collection.

E-mail me your postal address and I'll send you a few to get started.

David

David. Email Sent. -Kirk